Goodbye
by Adonis
Summary: One shot fic (which means it is complete). A Vegeta/Bulma get together from Yamcha's point of view.


Disclaimer: I do not own this song (Goodbye by Jagged Edge) or these characters. The only thing that is mine is the plotline and you can be the judge on how original or unoriginal it is.  
  
  
  
  
  
The tender tapping of the rain beat against my window as the wind wailed its sorrow against the rest of the world, echoing my emotions to a 't'. I lay in the middle of my bed staring up at the dark, blank ceiling above me. I could not see it since it was dark out but that did not matter to me. My eyes focused and unfocused on no precise spot while my mind wandered in its perplexed deliberations.  
  
I had never thought it would come to this, losing the only woman I had ever loved to a pitiless, killing machine. Never in all my wildest dreams would I have fathomed that Bulma would ever fall in love with Vegeta, let alone him for her. Yet the unimaginable had happened and beauty had fallen for the beast. Hell had frozen over and the end of the world was approaching. Vegeta, the prince of all Saiyans, arrogant and ostentatious as he was, was capable of loving. But why, of all the women in the world, did he have to love my, brilliant, beautiful, perfect girlfriend? Why of all the billions of women on Earth, did he have to steal the love of my life?  
  
I knew the pompous jerk despised me with zeal, but this was torture beyond imagination. How could he just waltz in and steal everything that meant anything to me right out from under my nose? A sigh escaped my lips for the hundredth time that night. I ran my fingers through my hair apprehensively; the knowledge of what I had to do was shredding me to innumerable pieces.  
  
  
~~Sometimes what may be the best thing for you to do  
Sometimes that's the hardest thing for you to do  
And that's real,  
Cause I know I love you  
I know how I feel about you  
But I also know  
That don't make everything alright  
And for that reason  
I got to say goodbye~~  
  
  
The sound of my own footsteps reverberated in my ears, corresponding to the beating of my thundering heart. My external appearance demonstrated condescension and confidence, yet internally I was shivering with trepidation. I was about to carry out something that would change the rest of my life perpetually.   
  
Knocking on the main entrance of the Briefs mansion, I could feel Vegeta's eyes on me. Those cold, malicious eyes, trying to burn a hole through my body from his gravity machine. Unlike previous visits, I gave no consideration to his vicious glares knowing that if looks could kill, I would be "well done".  
  
I knew what he was feeling and a part of me felt the same way he did. He was invidious. He was jealous of the fact that another man was about to enter the dwelling place of his lover. My jaws clamped shut as I ground my teeth together thinking about what I had just thought. When had this transpired? When had this developed? Why had I not seen it sooner? I was letting Bulma slip out of my hands like sand through a sandglass. I felt like a sandglass myself. My time with her had run out and I had done nothing to inhibit it.  
  
Mrs. Briefs opened the door and I hastily entered, thankful to be away from those piercing eyes. She escorted me through the intricate mansion, feigning as if I did not already know the structure brick by brick. As she exited, I sat myself down and took one final look around the room. I had always liked the guestroom of the massive mansion. It was a homely room, which gave off the impression of a comfortable haven where someone could unwind after a long day. I tried to do just that as I waited for Bulma to be notified of my arrival.  
  
  
~~Tell me have you ever been in a situation  
Where the best thing you could do  
Was the hardest thing you ever done   
But you try to do what's right  
And I know deep down inside  
That I really want to  
Be there by your side  
But I can't stand to see you cry  
Not when it's because of me~~  
  
  
I did not have long to wait as Bulma, white, lab coat and all, emerged a few minutes later. She smiled at me as she lifted her safety goggles from her face. I could not prevent the smile that spread its way over my face at the sight of her. I got up from my seat and reached out for her instinctively. Her hesitation was brief yet noticeable. I could sense my smile wane but I forced it back onto my face again as she stepped towards me and wrapped her arms around me.  
  
I hugged her tightly, wanting to memorize every inch of her body in that single moment. My eyes burned with unshed tears as I let go of her. Concern filled her diamond like eyes as I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.  
  
"What's wrong Yamcha?"  
  
I shut my eyes trying to compose myself before reaching out to take her hands in mine. I licked my lips feeling as if they had never been dryer than now. I hesitated, unsure if I was ready to do what I was going to do.   
  
"Bulma," I began, "have you ever wanted something so bad, but knew it wasn't right to have it?" A playful gleam entered her eye as she nodded at me. I looked away, attempting to avoid her unsuspecting gaze. "Bulma, I love you with all of my heart and I would never do anything if I didn't think it was best for you."  
  
She stepped away from me, a look of disbelief growing on her countenance. "What are you trying to say Yamcha?"  
  
I tried to look up at her but found that a particular patch of her guest room floor was all of a sudden, unbelievably interesting. "Tell me, have you ever been in a situation where the best thing you could do was the hardest thing you've ever done?"  
  
She took another step back. "What are you getting at Yamcha?"  
  
I could feel my shoulders sagging as I continued to concentrate on the patch of floor in front of me. "I know you love someone else, and although it hurts me, I think it's best if I let you go now before you let me go."  
  
I took the opportunity to quickly look up at her, to see how she would react. She raised her hands to cover her mouth as she gapped in horror. Her eyelids fluttered rapidly a few times, growing moist with tears. "Oh Yamcha! What are you talking about? I love you."  
  
I quickly shut my eyes, not wanting to shed any tears in her presence. "I know you think you love me, but you don't. Maybe you know it and haven't accepted it yet or maybe you just haven't realized it. But I have. I don't want to hold you back, to burden your heart when it lies elsewhere."  
  
Her soft, wracking sobs were beginning to tear me apart. Thinking it best to leave now, I made my way towards the door, thus passing her. Pausing as I stood shoulder to shoulder with her, I felt an urge to give her one last hug, but refrained and continued out the door.  
  
Halfway through the house I could sense his ki approaching me. I could not be certain if his destination was me or something beyond me but I prepared myself for battle nonetheless. Vegeta walked coyly by, seeming to barely notice me at all. I stood rooted to the spot until I was sure he was gone. I heart sank as I realized that his ki was near Bulma's. Picking up my steps again, I made it to the door. Without a backward glance, I took to the air. "Let the course of true love take its flight."  
  
  
~~When it's over  
I'll never love another  
I'm always thinking of her  
I'm doing this because of her  
Don't want to say goodbye  
I don't want to let her see me cry  
Looking out the window and wondering why  
Did we have to say all those things  
That we said last night  
Baby I don't want to say goodbye  
So I'm just standing here wondering why  
Just don't like to see when you cry  
So I'mma say goodbye~~  
  
  
I woke up, unaware of whatever may have persisted at the Brief's household over the night. I felt worthlessness growing in me. One that spread as quickly as a wild fire and consumed every morsel of contentment that I possessed. Not wanting to brood in my distress and not wanting to waken Pu'ar because of it, I hastily washed up, dressed, and ventured out to endure the new day.  
  
It was still incredibly early and the sky shone with radiant hues of red and orange. The wind lashed around my body, chilling me to the bone before I could remember to raise my ki shield around me. I took a deep breath of the wintry morning, enjoying the feel of it cleansing my soul.   
  
The sound of imminent footsteps made me turn to face my intruder. A young girl I had often seen in the mornings, ran past and winked at me. Instead of returning my usual wink, I merely forced a smile on my face and waved. I knew I could never love anyone again. My heart throbbed at the remembrance of what would never be mine again.  
  
With an unexplainable desire, I set out for a familiar building: Capsule Corp.  
  
  
~~You think cause I packed your stuff  
Inside I'm really cracking up  
Cause you're wrong I just hide it good  
Cause I know that's what you need girl  
And it's more to life than loving yourself  
You gotta learn to love somebody else  
And that's why I do the things that I do~~  
  
  
Landing noiselessly and undetected outside of the complex, I was both slightly pleased and highly distressed to see Bulma crying. Her eyes were blood-shot red, an indication that she had slept little but cried a lot. My heart dropped in explicable misery at the sight of her so out of sorts. I moved my foot in order to approach her in her lab but quickly resisted as an all too familiar ki arrived just outside her door.  
  
I could sense his hesitation in his steps as he lingered where he stood. The struggle of love and pride were all too evident on Vegeta's usually uncaring features. Finally, seeming to come to a conclusion, his hand reached for the doorknob. Before he could open it however, a distant-looking Bulma pulled open the door and bumped into the Saiyan prince.  
  
She appeared to mutter a quick, uncaring apology before attempting to scurry around him. Vegeta was apparently stunned at her actions, as he stood rooted to the spot. With the passing of a few seconds, he seemed to regain himself as he turned around and made his way to block her path. Barring her way, he took her face in his gloved hands and gently wiped away the streaks of tears.  
  
This un-Vegeta-like act of kindness snapped Bulma out of her trance as she stared back at him with half-hopeful eyes. From where I stood, I could not hear their conversation, but after a few moments, a dagger was stabbed through my heart as Bulma threw herself into the Saiyan prince's arms. He held her tightly, allowing her to cry the pent up tears while doing nothing more then stroking and occasionally kissing her hair.  
  
Words will never be able to explain how much I wanted to be the one holding her at that precise moment.   
  
  
~~There's no one in this world  
That could never take your place  
All the love that we share  
It could never be erased  
And I know it hurts so bad  
And I'm sorry but you're the best I had  
There's no one in this world  
That could ever take your place~~  
  
  
I remained motionless where I stood, hidden from view, as Vegeta scooped Bulma into his arms and carried my beauty away. I fought against the threatening tears to no avail as they claimed my cheeks as their territory for the time being. As Vegeta's ki grew fainter, I slammed my fist against the ground, leaving a sizeable mark where I hit my target.  
  
"Don't hurt her Vegeta, or Kami help me, I'll kill you."  
  
With that, I turned around and walked in the opposite direction. A portion of my life would be forever closed, but never the portion of my heart, which enclosed the beauty known as Bulma. 


End file.
